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Senior0991 · 06-17-2009, 10:21 PM

Bluebubbles, that was very comprehensive, and I agree with you on the vast majority of that. There is, however, other sides to a few of your points.

3/4. I wouldn't hold to a strict limit for essay editing. For example, I came up with my common app essay theme early on (it was about a national problem), and I stuck with it. My first essay I came accross as too bitter and singleminded, and too focused on how others poorly dealt with the problem. My first revision toned down the closemindedness, but I was still not focused on myself. My second revision rearranged the focus on myself, but regained some of that bitterness I had before. My third revision improved both things, but the essay was somewhat dry and forced. I forgot about my fourth revision. My fifth revision focused on what led me to recognize this problem and how I deal with it (so overall, the most comprehensive of the bunch).
Did I lose my voice? Somewhat, but it wasn't because of too many edits (in my view, I lost my voice after the first edit). But, my first essay was way too critical, and I wouldn't have been admitted anywhere had I submitted that (trust me on that one). So, another thing, if your natural voice is boring, extremist, etc., you might want to try something else.
Also, if you feel your essay is going nowhere, you should can it. Either start over with a same topic or come up with a new one. And, to support one of your points, one of my best essay ideas came out of the blue at midnight a few nights before the app was due.

11. My "why____" essay focused on the "day in the life" theme, and I got admitted to all the schools I used it at (not a strong correlation, but you never know). Some people list very explicit reasons for wanting to go to a school, but I think a more subtle approach will reflect well with the adcoms, who, by the point they set eyes on your essay, have probably already read a dozen of the same "I want to go to _____, because..." essays. And, try and write about stuff that others are not as likely to write about and that pertains to that school specifically. Like, for my first (rushed) draft of "why Stanford", I was more or less like: because of great weather and great academics. But there were too major problems: A)What do you think everyone else will write about? and B)What about Cal, Caltech, UCLA, etc?

06-17-2009, 10:21 PM	#117
Senior0991 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 882	Bluebubbles, that was very comprehensive, and I agree with you on the vast majority of that. There is, however, other sides to a few of your points. 3/4. I wouldn't hold to a strict limit for essay editing. For example, I came up with my common app essay theme early on (it was about a national problem), and I stuck with it. My first essay I came accross as too bitter and singleminded, and too focused on how others poorly dealt with the problem. My first revision toned down the closemindedness, but I was still not focused on myself. My second revision rearranged the focus on myself, but regained some of that bitterness I had before. My third revision improved both things, but the essay was somewhat dry and forced. I forgot about my fourth revision. My fifth revision focused on what led me to recognize this problem and how I deal with it (so overall, the most comprehensive of the bunch). Did I lose my voice? Somewhat, but it wasn't because of too many edits (in my view, I lost my voice after the first edit). But, my first essay was way too critical, and I wouldn't have been admitted anywhere had I submitted that (trust me on that one). So, another thing, if your natural voice is boring, extremist, etc., you might want to try something else. Also, if you feel your essay is going nowhere, you should can it. Either start over with a same topic or come up with a new one. And, to support one of your points, one of my best essay ideas came out of the blue at midnight a few nights before the app was due. 11. My "why____" essay focused on the "day in the life" theme, and I got admitted to all the schools I used it at (not a strong correlation, but you never know). Some people list very explicit reasons for wanting to go to a school, but I think a more subtle approach will reflect well with the adcoms, who, by the point they set eyes on your essay, have probably already read a dozen of the same "I want to go to _____, because..." essays. And, try and write about stuff that others are not as likely to write about and that pertains to that school specifically. Like, for my first (rushed) draft of "why Stanford", I was more or less like: because of great weather and great academics. But there were too major problems: A)What do you think everyone else will write about? and B)What about Cal, Caltech, UCLA, etc?
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